Table of contents for July 2016 in Practical Classics

‘Nineties cars are coming… complex ECUs and all’ My inbox is inundated each week with enthusiasts keen to have their superb restorations featured within the pages of Practical Classics . Many of them involve Morris Minors, MGBs and Minis, which stands to reason since these are among the most popular classics out there. But what is this? A chap who has restored his 1991 Rover 216? A couple who have devoted their spare time to restoring an early Renault Clio? A young lad with a Ford Puma, which he’s stripped back to the bare shell? Believe it, folks – Nineties are coming – complex ECUs and all. Each new generation brings with it a new era of classic car. I bought a Rover 75 in 2004 – a beautiful piece…

The DVLA has claimed that errors in generating V5Cs for defunct manufacturers are system-generated and cannot now be corrected regardless of whether the correct information is supplied. Data is generated from codes provided by manufacturers and there is no means for generating codes for defunct marques or models. The new online MoT system has been experiencing difficulties with non alpha-numeric characters in classic vehicle chassis numbers. According to the FBHVC, the DVLA has stated that the correct procedure is to omit all non alphanumeric values upon system entry. The data will still be correct for the vehicle. If you’re planning to tour the continent in your classic next year, bear in mind that all petrol in Belgium will contain a minimum of 8.5 per cent ethanol content from January 2017.…

Mercedes Benz SLK R171/G-Wagen £34.99 ISBN 978-1-845847-77-7 and ISBN 978-1-845846-53-4 Brian Long appears to have had no sleep whatsoever, considering the volume of his output of late. This hasn’t affected the quality of these Merc must-haves though. They are well laid out and well thought through. www.veloce.co.uk Muscle Car Sourcebook £35 ISBN 978-0-7603-4857-4 The greatest American muscle – all in one place. If you have an interest in big, fast Yanks then look no further, this is like the correspondence course you always promised yourself, all in one book. All the facts, figures and fables from 1963 to 1974. www.quartoknows.com The Rise and Fall of the French Alpine Rally £30 ISBN 978-3-85119-361-9 This is a bit of a yarn, and we approached it with low expectations. But with an Introduction…

SAT JUNE 18 LONDON Waterloo Classics, Lower Marsh Street, SE1 7RJ (waterlooclassics.com). WORCS Summer Solstice at Shesley Walsh, WR6 6RP (shelsley-walsh.co.uk). HANTS Classic car gathering at Beaulieu, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). com). SAT-SUN JUNE 18-19 SOMERSET Bristol Classic Car Show, Bath & West Showground, BA4 6QN (carsandevents.com). WILTS Bath Festival of Motoring, Walcot Rugby Ground, BA1 9BJ (bathfestivalofmotoring.combathfestivalofmotoring.com). DERBYS Triumph Sports Six Club Peak Run through the Peak District. Starts at The Peak gateway, DE6 1NA (peakrun.weebly.com). SURREY Brooklands Double Twelve Festival, KT13 0QN (brooklandsmuseum.combrooklandsmuseum.com). SUN JUNE 19 CO. DURHAM Classic Vehicle Show at Raby Castle, DL2 3AH (markwoodward classicevents.com). HANTS Hot rods and customs at Beaulieu, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). STAFFS Classic car day at Trentham Gardens, ST4 8JG (classicmotorshows.co.uk). MERSEYSIDE Classic Car Show, Thornton Manor, CH63 1JB (classicshows.org). FRI-SUN JUNE…

Here is my 1974 MG Midget, it’s the same age as me. This was the ideal project for me because I don’t have the patience or the skills to do bodywork. I bought the car as a failed project and it consisted of a fully repaired and painted bare shell and loads of boxes of bits. This meant I could savour the most enjoyable part of the project: putting it back together, deciding whether to restore or replace each part as I went along. It passed its MoT in October 2015, 22 years since it was last on the road. Send us your car photos To practical.classics@ bauermedia.co.uk , marked ‘Your Cars’. Make sure your pictures are hi-res and that you are in them.…

This is a very well-sorted GT6. Dave reckons the engine needs a bit of fine-tuning, but that’s just the talk of a fastidious owner – it drives fine. It’s perfect for British back roads, where it has enough power to surge from one corner to the next. Triumph had fully sorted the suspension by the time of the Mk III so it tackles any angle or radius with flowing ease. This car demands some extra bicep action – its tyres are slightly wider than standard and it has a small nonstandard steering wheel – so there’s quite a meaty feel to it and loads of feedback. The ride is good and the overdrive clicks in and out instantly. It feels like a proper sports car, too, with its low-slung, straight-legged…

The emissions-cheating scandal rumbles on, with talk of demands for compensation for people who have bought cheating cars. But what exactly they would be compensated for is unclear. It’s not as if anyone has ever believed that cars driven in the real world can get even close to matching the ‘official’ figures. The latest twist in the tale doesn’t involve diesel cars – thus far the villains of the piece – but rather some petrol-fuelled Mitsubishis. Mitsubishi has always been a marginal player in the UK but provided me with two significant firsts in my motoring journalism career. Alec British My first overseas car launch, in 1984, was of the first Mitsubishi to bear that marque name in the UK. The front-wheel drive Galant was a fine car with more…

Humber Super Snipe Series IV A ‘Coleman Milne’ 8-Seater Humber Super Snipe Series IV Limousine, believed to be the sole survivor of only ten originally made. All the photos this month were taken in Norfolk and come from Jack Brands on his latest tour of the British Isles. The locations are known to Jack so we could help interested parties although most cars shown are thought to be awaiting restoration. James says ‘Jack Brands is a wreck-hunting hero. He spent weeks researching these secret locations and removing the foliage so we can all enjoy his crusty finds.’ Jaguar 340 This Jaguar 340 was first registered in January 1968 and came off the road a mere ten years later in April 1978. It’s been given the spoked wire wheels treatment and…

‘The Smart takes street corners like it’s on rails’ Engine 0.7-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged; six-speed semi-automatic gearbox Top speed 109mph 0-60mph11.2sec Power80bhp@5250rpm Torque81lb ft@3000rpm Here’s a car that went from concept to production in record time and it’s all too easy to see why. Neat packaging, good weight distribution, stand-out styling and impressive detailing. Its microscopic, turbocharged three-cylinder engine is endlessly eager to please and once you get used to changing gear a second or so before you need to, its paddle-shift semi-automatic gearbox works extremely well – as does its ability to take street corners like it’s on rails. Despite being the smallest car here, the Smart has the most luggage space, both front and rear. Smart Roadsters are still really cheap now as well ; about to reach the…

SUN JUN 19 Charterhouse Auctions, Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet. (charterhouseauction.comcharterhouseauction.com) THU JUN 23 Brightwells’ Modern Classics sale, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire (01568 611122, brightwells.com) FRI JUN 24 Bonhams’ Goodwood FoS sale, Goodwood House, Chichester, W Sussex. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/cars) SAT JUL 9 H&H Classics, Chateau Impney, Worcestershire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) TUE JUL 12 Barons Auctions’ Connoisseurs’ sale, Tattersalls, Newmarket, Suffolk. (08454 306060, barons-auctions.com)…

1989 XM series 1 launched with 115bhp 2.0 carb or 130bhp injected engine. 170bhp 3.0 V6 12-valve petrol also available. 1990 2.1-litre turbodiesel and 200bhp 24-valve 3.0 V6 petrol added to the line-up. 1991 Estate launched with 2.0i, Turbo (‘93 on) and V6 options. 1994 2.0i Turbo-based Premiere special edition arrives in UK. XM Series 2 appears in July with a 2.5-litre diesel option and revised exterior. 1997 New 2946cc 3.0-litre V6 replaces old 2963cc PRV V6 in May. Less powerful but more frugal.…

Will Brackenbury was brought up with Citroëns and learned to drive in a GS. Having owned two XMs new, he now has a pair of them in his garage, both manual gearbox diesels. Says Will: ‘These cars still look futuristic and attract a lot of interest at shows. They’re spacious and comfortable but still fabulous to drive – the steering, ride, handling and brakes are all superb. They’re easy to work on too – I do all of my own maintenance, including the hydraulics, engine and transmission plus the electrics.’ SELECTED SPECIALISTS Andrew Brodie, London. 07887 515332, brodie.co.uk Chevronic Centre, Herts. 01462 455280, chevronics.co.uk Paris Autos, Stockport. 0161 477 6030, paris-autos.co.uk Savoy Garage, Lancs. 01282 773466, citroen-mechanics.co.uk citroenmechanics.co.uk Tower Citroen, Notts. 01777 838019,…

I grew up in the Seventies, owned my first car in the Eighties and restored my first classic in the Nineties. So the Fiesta has been a permanent background car throughout my automotive education. I liked them but was after something more ‘exciting’. My recent interest was piqued two years ago when we restored Vicki Butler-Henderson’s MkI Fiesta. Driving the 1.0 MkI, that was VBH’s first motor, was a revelation. Nippy, zippy and fun. I was a convert. Earlier this year after a flirtation with a Maestro and a Rover Sterling I was in need of a daily classic driver that could get me to work reliably and be the family car stand-in when required. When I heard about this 47k mile barn find I immediately got in touch. It…

1950 Riley RMA Engine 1496cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 55bhp@4500rpm Torque 76lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 25sec Top Speed 78mph Fuel economy 26mpg Work done Collected and retrieved to the Hopkins garage Also in Danny’s garage 1956 RILEY PATHFINDER Safe under a sheet for now. 1970 JENSEN INTERCEPTOR Bubbling away slowly. 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 New driveshafts – driving beautifully. 1976 VAUXHALL CAVALIER GL Still taking the strain on a daily basis. 1987 FORD FIESTA New ride, in stiletto white. 1992 SAAB 9000 2.3 TURBO Gearbox is now rebuilt… more next time. ‘Then, for the very first time in 44 years ‘CFB’ left Ron’s house’ I was innocently sitting at my desk in summer 2015, when I got a phone call. It was a gent called Ron Jones on the other end of…

1982 Peugeot 104 Engine 954cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 46bhp@6000rpm Torque 54lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 18.5sec Top speed 86mph Fuel economy 35mpg Work done New head gasket fitted. Also in James’ garage 1971 CITROËN AMI Still unstoppable. 1978 AUSTIN MAXI Braking fault stops play. 1988 CITROËN CX 22 TRS Electrics are still playing up. 1988 CITROËN CX GTI So much rust! ‘What lay beneath was gruesome… a recipe for total catastrophe’ Once upon a time, there was a little red Peugeot. It was a happy thing, with a mere 50,000 miles and one owner behind it. Then one day, after a lengthy period of rest and solitude, some smelly men came along and drove it around Cumbria in the middle of winter, as part of a car magazine challenge. Through floods…

1974 Rover 2200 SC Engine 1978cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 91bhp@5200rpm Torque 111lb ft@2750rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 11.5sec Top speed 100mph Fuel economy 20mpg Work done Replace engine and convert back to SC specification (2.0). Also in Matt’s garage 1969 MORRIS MINOR TRAVELLER New crank pulley fitted, running beautifully. I’ve really enjoyed bimbling back and forth to work in it. Cars are there to be used. 1970 MORRIS MINOR SALOON Neglected at the moment, engine needs attention. 1979 TRIUMH DOLOMITE 1597 MX-5 JLO is awaiting the time to re-fit the Mazda running gear. 1992 EUNOS ROADSTER Balljoint replaced, now with a fresh MoT. 1992 MINI MAYFAIR I’ll start this once the Minor Convertible’s done, whenever that may be… ‘We discovered that one of the cam bearings had cracked…’ Ican’t say I didn’t…

1965 Rover 2000 Engine 1978cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 90bhp@5000rpm Torque 114lb ft @2750rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 15.1sec Top speed 103mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done Made interior lights and clock work, rebuilt carburettor, fitted correct number plates. Also in John’s garage 1934 SINGER NINE LE MANS Puzzling out the accelerator linkage. 1961 SAAB 96 TWO-STROKE Starred on stage at the PC Resto Show. 1968 SUNBEAM STILETTO Engine now out for a rebuild. Rover P6s. They get right under your skin. I’d originally intended my 1967 Burnt Grey 2000 to be just a project car to buy, take to the Car of the Year test day in France and then sell on, but very quickly I found myself liking it so much that I couldn’t bear to part with it. I closed…

DIFFICULTY RATING TIME MONEY You will need Plating kits, plastic containers, kettle, mixing jugs, thermometer, polisher (with mops and compound), solder. Get the kit We’ve bought our kits from Gateros Plating: 01283 763502, www.gaterosplating.co.uk Acid safety If you’re diluting concentrated acid, always add it to the water – not vice-versa. Critical current The correct current is essential. Gateros Plating can supply a useful current calculator spreadsheet for common classic car parts. When the shiny bits on your classic turn flaky and pock-marked, the first instinct is to post them off to a master of the dark art of electroplating. This isn’t actually necessary. There’s no witchcraft involved in electroplating – just a bit of careful chemistry. Specialists sell chemical kits that are ready-weighed, tried and tested. If they’re handled correctly,…

Went to the annual Allegro bash in Berkshire. Allegro people are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Arriving in Wells on the Mendip Tour, featuring everything from a Trabant to this breathtaking Alvis. Said farewell to my 30,000 mile R5, which ended up being renovated to perfection for one lucky owner. What could be more sensible than a Citroën 2CV with a flat-four GS engine and Rover Sterling seats? Preparing my Maxi for a major road trip, involving a car that changed music history. Coming soon in PC!…

Peking to Paris The sixth Peking to Paris Motor Challenge is well underway. Fifty pre-1942 ‘Vintageant’ entrants and 60 pre-1977 ‘Classic’ entrants left the Great Wall of China in Beijing on Saturday June 12 and will arrive in Paris by Sunday July 17. For more information visit endurorally.com. Beaulieu at 50 The famous Beaulieu International Autojumble will be 50 years old this September and a special commemorative booklet is being compiled. Anyone who has ever attended the autojumble is invited to send photographs, stories and memories via email to IAJ50@beaulieu.co.uk.…

Austin 16 7Oth In 1947 Austin sent three 16s on a 2500-mile, seven-day trip through seven capitals en route to the Geneva motor show. A 16 restored and driven by PC writer Guy Loveridge will make the same journey later this year. Watch this space! PC Resto show dates unveiled The Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show has become a three day event! Its growing popularity will see the season opening show run from Friday March 31 to Sunday April 2 2017. It will feature celebrities, surprises and a bunch of new features. NEC theme revealed Organisers of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show (NEC, November 11-13) have revealed this year’s theme – ‘Heroes and Heroines’. Exhibitors will get creative with their displays over the remembrance weekend, celebrating wartime…

There really is nowhere quite like Beaulieu. The Spring Autojumble is smaller than ‘the big one’ in September but since everything is in miniature, it makes the spares rummaging slightly less daunting if you only have a few hours. We found all sorts for our project cars this year and the event retained it’s ‘festival feel’ despite heavy rain on the Saturday afternoon. Beaulieu is the Glasto of events. From the sights and smells to the smiling faces.…

‘Volkswagen colour names and codes can be confusing’ ‘110bhp on tap made the GTI very lively indeed’ The Volkswagen Golf GTI MkI reaches its 40th birthday this year. The vastly influential hot version didn’t reach its first owners until two years after the Golf’s original launch, but the range still managed to whoosh past the million-seller milestone in October 1976. At around £1500 for the basic 1.1-litre three-door, it was almost identically priced to the two-door Vauxhall HC Viva and £40 less than a 1.1-litre Allegro. UK buyers had to wait until 1979 for right-hand drive versions of the GTI, but early LHD four-speed versions found their way here from ’77. The 1588cc engine offered 110bhp, making the 845kg car very lively indeed. In 1982 the 1.6-litre engine grew to…

Worst bodge you’ve ever seen? I had an old Mini when I was 18 and took three mates out for a ride in it, one of whom was rather stout. We went over a bump and the corner he was sitting on exuded a loud bang. We limped it home, rolled it onto its side and discovered that the rear subframe was made entirely from old baked bean tins and filler. Alex Linke I’ve seen some amazing stuff in my 20 years as a panel beater – including the inner wing on a Vauxhall Viva made out of bits of old fridge! Stuart Johnson The sills on my old Fiat Panda were held together with painted kitchen roll. Cameron Thomson I didn’t know the sills on a Citroën XM estate…

This restoration was selected for both the quality of the work and the ingenuity of the restorer in completing it. As well as appearing in Practical Classics it is also entered into Britain’s most prestigious car restoration competition, Restorer of the Year. The competition runs for 13 issues and includes each restoration story featured on the pages of this magazine in that time, at the end of which the best cars are chosen by you, the readers of Practical Classics. Watch this space for further information on Restorer of the Year 2017!…

I recently discovered that I had a five-figure sum in my bank account. The balance habitually wobbles on the tightrope between black and red, so this was a highly unusual occurrence. I found it troubling. I sat down and considered what to do with my newfound affluence. I decided, at length, to invest it like a grown-up. I’d pay off the loan I took out to buy my Chevrolet Corvair, treat my Wartburg to some tyres and trickle the rest into various projects. Three hours later, I’d blown £9250 on a Panhard Dyna. What follows is an illogical explanation of why this was totally sensible. An eight-year delusion The 1954 Panhard Dyna is a tour de force of flamboyant French engineering. Its clever air-cooled oversquare all-aluminum flat-twin generates 42bhp from…

That evocative vinyl Seventies smell hits you straight away. It’s unique and gets my senses racing far more than wood and leather. Set off and the 1500cc engine is adequately powerful, the gearchange only slightly less precise than a Ford of the era. It’s the handling that really surprises though. The Avenger feels more sophisticated than either a Marina or Cortina. It can be flung around with great enthusiasm and rewards with stability and only a little roll. I begin to wonder what some extra power might feel like. The Tiger model must be a corker. It’s a more capable car than I remember. Certainly, driving the Avenger reminds me how unfair it was it was significantly outsold by its rivals. It deserved better then and definitely deserves better now.…

A trio of affordable modern classic drop-tops and a trip to south-west Ireland. What could possibly go wrong? Did I mention it was February? I equipped myself with the warmest coat known to man and set off to meet the team in South Wales. Neil Campbell was driving Britain’s favourite roadie – an MGF kindly lent to us by PC’s John Simpson; photographer Simon Hipperson had charge of a car Mercedes-Benz claimed was directly inspired by the Frogeye Sprite, the Smart Roadster. And finally, James had procured the builders tea version of Lotus’s Elise – the outrageously louty Vauxhall VXR220 Turbo. We had a tight schedule to meet the Fishguard-Rosslare ferry and the roads were quiet, so we had our first try at making our mid-engined roadsters do what they…

Engine2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged; six-speed manual gearbox Top speed 153mph 0-60mph 4.2sec Power 220bhp@6300rpm Torque 209 lb ft@4800rpm The VXR shares its platform with the Lotus Elise II – some say it’s a better-sorted car. The interior’s basic in the extreme: part of its home-made feel is perhaps due to this being car number 00 – the development hack. But with 60mph in 4.2 seconds, there’s no time to admire walnut trim. Jab the throttle and the engine instantly spins up to speed; release the sharp clutch and it will, if you ask it to, set off with great haste. Give the turbo its head and you’d better be prepared for the results. It’s really uncompromising – but it’s in no way unpleasant or tricky. It’s surely a car to be…

1982 Mercedes-Benz 230CE Price: £12,995 Recently resprayed, fresh MoT and an excellent interior, so its 103,500 miles have probably been gentle. Now hard to find like this. 1956 MG ZA Magnette Price: £1 (yes, really!) Project or donor car stored outside for ten years, so very rusty and has tatty interior. But it is fitted with reconditioned MGB engine that runs. 1973 Vauxhall Viva SL 2300 Price: £3250 Very rare SL 2300 estate with believed genuine 40,000 miles. VGC and no sign of any past welding. Electronic ignition and recent new radiator.…

The XM isn’t particularly rot-prone but corrosion can kill them because of the high cost of repairs in areas such as the sills. Interiors usually last well although the Exclusive’s Alcantara seats (others got leather or velour) rarely last more than 80,000 miles. You can usually track down used interior parts – some bits are scarce in the UK but most can still be sourced in France. You’ll be lucky to find XM-specific parts at a Citroën dealer because there’s been no factory support for years. The XM’s rarity means parts rarely crop up at autojumbles but you should have better luck within the two key clubs (XM Club and Citroën Car Club) and online. The term ‘project’ suggests a car that’s in need of bodywork and mechanical TLC but…

The Ford Fiesta was not built to last, and XR2 or Supersport versions aside, there isn’t a widespread move to restore them - yet. There are also many ruined examples out there that have suffered a variety of cack-handed customisation attempts. Avoid them. They also rust,so finding a good original MkI or MkII now is not as easy. The MkII was a top-selling car in the UK during its production (1983-1989) and in its best-ever year, 1987, over 150,000 were sold in the UK. So service parts for both the Valencia engine and the larger CVH units are in good supply. It is as simple as a front-wheel drive supermini can be. It’s fun to drive and great to work on and it is as Eighties as a Filofax. This…

1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Engine 1584cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 50bhp@4000rpm Torque 78lb ft@2800rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 17sec Top speed 92mph Fuel economy 35mpg Work done Oil changed, distributor cap and leads replaced. Also in Matt’s garage 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 Recently enjoyed a trip to the North Yorkshire Triumph Weekend at Runswick Bay. 1994 FORD MONDEO 1.8 GLX Continues to exhibit impressive levels of fuel economy. As you can see, I’ve got a new car. Eagle-eyed readers will note it’s not a Porsche, which I’d previously suggested was my aim ( PC , February 2016). After much deliberation and repeatedly running through the potential sums involved, I (for once) followed the route of good sense and admitted to myself that I simply can’t afford to buy or even potentially restore an air-cooled…

1958 Austin A105 Westminster Estate Engine 2639cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 102bhp@4600rpm Torque 142lb ft@2400rpm Gearbox 3-speed automatic 0-60mph 17.8sec Top speed 97mph Fuel economy 20mpg Work done Car, spares car, engine, gearbox and parts delivered from a variety of locations, some of it reconditioned and finally fitted to the car! Project overview Saved from the banger track, this Austin Westminster A105 Estate is one of just ten made and is the only one with an automatic gearbox. CBR and Practical Classics is restoring it in conjunction with Anglia Car Auctions, Hagerty Insurance and CL Panelcraft. Proceeds from its eventual sale at Anglia Car Auctions will go to the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund. Before the bodyshell turned up from Les Ealy’s CL Panelcraft, I can’t lie, I was a bit nervous. I’d seen…

2004 Izh Oda 1.7S Engine 1699cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 85bhp@5000rpm Torque 98lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 15sec Top speed 102mph Fuel economy 34mpg Work done Fitted new tyres all-round, replaced rear brake cylinders, repaired throttle cable. Also in Ed’s garage 1993 ZAZ TAVRIA Clutch plate disintegrated. 1994 LADA 2105 Amusing drift capability after front camber adjustment. Sam Glover, myself and our mutual friend Julian Nowill all agreed on one thing: we needed an Izh Oda in our lives. We’re all Eastern Bloc fetishists – and we all coveted this hilariously-named rear-wheel drive Russian hatchback. But, given our collective overload of old cars, did we really need one each? Sam solved the problem efficiently. ‘A chap in Moscow owes me a favour in the shape of a really good Oda,’ he revealed.…

2001 Citroën C15 Engine 1868cc/4-cyl/diesel Power 60bhp@4600rpm Torque 77b ft@2500rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 18.5sec Top speed 85mph Fuel economy 44mpg Work done Denuded, attacked with a grinder, rust-treated, filled and painted with enamel. Also in Sam’s garage 1953 HOTCHKISS GRÉGOIRE Remains ornamental… but it’s a wonderful ornament. 1954 PANHARD DYNA Fresh French excitement. 1965 CITROËN AMI 6 International Citroën Car Club Rally in Netherlands, maybe? ‘I hypothesised that I could paint a car badly in a weekend’ There’s nothing like a job done properly – and this was nothing like a job done properly. The Practical Classics coachpainter-in-residence, Ed Hughes, can do amazing things with hand-brushed enamel. His process is rigid, exacting and extremely time-consuming. I hypothesised that if an artisan like Ed could hand-paint a car beautifully in…

Sam Glover TECHNICAL EDITOR Sam has broken down in a gigantic variety of classics over the years, then worked out how to fix them. John Simpson MASTER MECHANIC Big John has worked at the greasy end of the motor industry since leaving school. Theodore J Gillam TECHNICAL EXPERT Theo teaches Automotive Engineering and makes amazing things in his shed. Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS Ed single-handedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern car. Kim Henson CLASSIC CAR GURU Kim’s been restoring classics for over four decades. BMC vehicles are his speciality. Nigel Clark WEEKEND TINKERER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of professional mechanics. He’s our resident Triumph expert. DIFFICULTY LEVELS One to two spanners An easy job that’s well within the reach of…

DIFFICULTY RATING TIME MONEY Quick test Lights on and engine off should give a negative reading. Swap the wires over on the ammeter if it doesn’t. You will need Wire, wire cutters, soldering iron or crimp tool, heat-shrink or insulating tape, ring terminals, ammeter and mounting bracket. Stout wiring Heavy-duty wire is a must. Soldering gives a perfect joint that can’t develop a high resistance. Meter rating A meter rated at 25A is sufficient for most classics. Up to 50A might be required if it has extra lights and an alternator. An ammeter is a very handy item. For starters, it’s an ideal faultfinding and advance warning device. It tells you if your classic’s electrical system is generating a healthy surplus and charging the battery as you drive – or…

Ancillaries Inspect all ancillaries. Replace or titivate if necessary. Refit with new gaskets, where appropriate. Fasteners Extract and replace any dodgy studs in the engine block. Don’t reuse suspect nuts and bolts. Check flatness Check the cylinderhead and block for flatness using a sheet of glass. Heads can be skimmed. A warped block is probably doomed. You will need Basic tool kit, torque wrench, small screwdriver, feeler gauges, dial gauge, digital level gauge or smartphone, sealant. DIFFICULTY RATING In the previous issue of Practical Classics , we showed you how to scientifically dismantle your two-stroke engine. Now we’ll assess the pistons, bores and crankshaft bearings, then put it all back together. We’re focusing on a three-cylinder unit of the sort found in Saabs, DKWs and various East European exotica. One…

As the lucky individual whose job it is to keep all of those cheeky PC boys and girls in check, answering their phones when they’re off gallivanting around the country in their classics, it’s nice to have the chance to bring them down to earth with my personal choice of advert. It’s for the completely lovely Citroën 2CV Dolly special edition, which arrived in 1985 to give the little car new appeal to buyers like me. As with Volkswagen Beetle adverts decades before, Deux Chevaux messages in the Eighties were self-deprecating and made a joke of its basic nature. They claimed the 2CV was all the car you’ll ever need. And for me, it was. I used to own a maroon and black Charleston and it gave me pleasure because…

Owners of classic cars across Britain are making their voices heard in our search for Britain’s favourite. The mix of cars nominated so far is broad, amid the rallying cries of a thousand enthusiasts mobilising to get their favourite classics into the top 100. The winner of our last search back in 2004 – the Morris Minor – is currently in the lead but others are gaining ground, including the Cortina, MGB and Mini. There are some early surprises, too – Scimitar fans have been out in force and Leyland Princess and Allegro fans have been working hard to promote the subject of their collective desires, with both models surging in popularity. There are new entries from Renault, Fiat and Škoda too and an exciting surge of enthusiasm for BMW…

Duke of London specialises in buying and selling expensive supercars, but don’t let that put you off attending one of its monthly Classics & Cake gatherings, which are open to all enthusiasts and all classics. Held at its Kew Bridge premises in west London (TW8 0JA), Classic & Cake takes place on the third Sunday of each month. Visitors get to sample plenty of free home-made cake and classics of all ages, types and values to drool over. Free cake and rows of classics – what’s not to love? Contact 07545 430813 dukeoflondon. co.uk/#!classics andcake/ck0q…

If you went to the 2015 Practical Classics Restoration Show at the NEC you’ll have seen Volvo Enthusiasts’ Club founder Kevin Price’s one-off 1800S shooting brake. He bought it 18 years ago and would love to know who made it. He says: ‘The car left the factory on September 14, 1967, bound for the UK. The bodywork conversion is clearly professional but the interior is a mess so may have been done separately. Volvo knows nothing about it but it now needs restoration; is there a PC reader out there who knows anything about it?’…

IN THE NEWS The summer of ’76 is still remembered for its exceptional drought, with stand-pipes in the streets and pale brown cricket fields echoing to yet another Test Match victory for the West Indies. Up above, Concorde made its first commercial flights and for the real tech-head, there is now a choice of home video recorders: VHS arrives to take on Sony’s Betamax. AT THE FLICKS We could worship All the President’s Men or Marathon Man but it’s more fun to pick out an intriguing turkey. There was a growing vogue for movies celebrating the good ol’ boys of the American south and Burt Reynolds starred in a dopey, jokey example called Gator in which he plays…

I saw this stainless steel Jeep advertised in 2009. I thought, ‘I must have it.’ My wife went mad but I persisted, rang the seller and bought it. It was a rolling shell… no cooling system, engine, gearbox or propshaft. As I replaced or searched for everything I decided to find out the history of the Jeep and contacted the Potters theatre company who sent me some pics of it on stage (in Grease, CATS and West Side Story!). I put the feelers out for info and Michael Ware from Norwich, who had it built new in the Philippines in the Eighties, sent me the documents, invoices and reg number so I was able to get the V5. Now it has a Mitsubishi GSR engine and five-speed gearbox along with…

A 1970s JAG? OH, XJ-YES! I have long been a Jaguar XJ-S enthusiast and am lucky enough to own two examples – a glorious V12 and a superb six cylinder. I read with interest your article (Spring edition) on one of the cars from Return of the Saint . I have a copy of the TV series on DVD and often re-live Ian Ogilvy’s adventures. The car’s cutting edge looks really did make you think that it had just arrived from outer space – it was so far ahead of its time that there was nothing else like it on the road! The same holds true today – it’s more than 40 years since its first appearance but the looks still stand out from the crowd. It’s a large car…

VW Camper Van This Type 2 was in a beach car park at Santa Barbara, California. It belonged to a family who arrived and headed down to the sea… leaving it wide open for a few hours. John Thompson, Northumberland Toyota Land Cruiser I found this in Southern France, still being used as a daily driver (and unfortunately not for sale or it would have been a road trip back to Scotland for me!). John Watt, Edinburgh Wolseley 16/60 I spotted this gorgeous 16/60 recently – looks like it’s in clean condition and a daily driver. Grant Mackay-Howard, Kent Austin 7 I found this rather nice Austin 7 parked in a car park near the harbour in St Ives, Cornwall… looked like a regular user as well. Chris Doe, Mansfield…

This restoration was selected for both the quality of the work and the ingenuity of the restorer. As well as appearing in Practical Classics it is also entered into Britain’s most prestigious car restoration competition, Restorer of the Year. The competition runs for 13 issues and automatically includes each and every restoration story featured on the pages of this magazine in that time, at the end of which the best cars are chosen by you, the readers of Practical Classics. Watch this space for further information and details about Restorer of the Year 2017!…

Engine 1.8-litre, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated; five-speed manual gearbox Top speed 121mph 0-60mph9sec Power120bhp@5500rpm Torque 118lb ft@4000rpm The MGF’s a car for everyone. That’s a great compliment, not a slight. It’s quite happy just bimbling around. The suspension’s not noticeably over-firm, though there is a certain amount of scuttle shake, which is a surprise. Now, drop a gear and see how it feels. Very sharp, very composed, very well-developed. That tremulous windscreen frame’s soon forgotten. The 1.8-litre K-series engine is a little miracle. It’s smooth and perfectly- balanced all the way from tickover to the red line. And the (custom) exhaust note on John Simpson’s car is sublime. It won’t upset the neighbours, yet you could drive, roof down, listening to it all day. Currently cheap as chips.…

‘A good history file is a tangible link to very different times’ History files, eh? We continue to set a lot of store by them and rightly so in my opinion. Get hold of a classic that comes complete with a good one and you’re not just buying a car, you’re getting a slice of the past to go with it; tales to tell, maybe places to visit, a tangible link to different times. But beware – you cannot always take them at face value. There are well documented cases of top-end cars with falsified records or identity, and they tend to come to light because of their high profile and the fact that expensive cars are bought by people who can afford lawyers. But it also happens further down…

Footballers were a different breed when England won the World Cup. They were, for the most part, working-class lads who moved from the terraces to the pitch of their local club. Until 1961, their wages had been capped at £20 a week, but after Jimmy Hill’s success in abolishing the cap, their pay began climbing to the crazy heights it now occupies. But it happened slowly. By 1966, when the UK average wage equalled that old £20 a week, First Division footballers averaged £44. Doctors got more like £75. As late as 1971 when Kevin Keegan signed for Liverpool, he had to haggle to get his £50 a week from boss Bill Shankly. Flash foreign holidays were out of reach. It makes the £1000 bonus each player got for winning…

1959 Peerless GT Engine 1991cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 1100bhp@4800rpm Torque 117lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d 0-60mph 10.8sec Top speed 120mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done Cam bearings and small ends replaced, oil scroll removed. Shortly after I’d submitted my previous saga, Kent Cams sent over a new fast road cam, having machined it the day before. Thanks to their quick turnaround, I was able to rebook my visit to Thomas Hamlin Engineering in Bridgwater the following week. Was I in for a surprise. It became the day of the three Marks. Owner and great grandson of Thomas Hamlin, Mark hadn’t been feeling well but still popped in to say hello, leaving me in the capable hands of Mark Cole and Mark Watkins. I lost count of the various milling machines,…

1972 Triumph GT6 MkIII Engine 1998cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 98bhp@5300rpm Torque 108lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual + overdrive 0-60mph 10.1sec Top speed 112mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done GT6 carb overhaul and tuning post-engine refresh. Also in Nigel’s garage 1977 RELIANT SCIMITAR GTE Plenty more miles including a trip to north Wales and – dare I say – no mechanical intervention needed. After the recent GT6 engine refresh I set about retuning the carbs and soon found the mixture was too weak. Worse still, when trying to set the twin emission control Strombergs, I ran out of adjustment before getting the ideal mixture. It’s probably not surprising that the mixture, last set up when the engine was very tired, turned out to be weak. I figure the now healthy engine is sucking…

1 Excavation A flap disc and a wire wheel expose a network of festering evil. 2 Cleaning and keying A scouring pad and detergent clean and key simultaneously. 3 Rust converter A bodge alternative to rust remover and proper repairs. But how long will it last? 4 Glassfibre filler Another bodge used to bridge holes. It’s a pig to sculpt and flat back compared to finishing filler. 5 Finishing filler A light skim to perfect the surface finish. In theory. The quality is governed by the attention-span of the user. 6 Zinc primer Applied to all areas of bare metal. It should provide a stable and rust-resistant foundation below the topcoat. A very thin key-coat of enamel aided the topcoat’s adhesion.…

1955 Chrysler New Yorker Engine 5422cc/V8/OHV Power 195bhp@4400rpm Torque 320lb ft@2000rpm Gearbox 2-speed automatic 0-60mph 12.8sec Fuel economy 9.8mpg Work done The parts embargo is lifted, car reassessed and parts sourced in the States. Project history Found in a lock-up in Havana, this legendary car has all the correct provenence. It is Ernest Hemingway’s last ride. David and PC have been working together for four years to get it restored. If you can help at all then please contact Danny at danny.hopkins@bauermedia.co.uk – there are a variety of rewards available. ‘Still, I do like a challenge, and so do the Cubans’ The task is challenging but simple: restore Ernest Hemingway’s 1955 Chrysler New Yorker to its former glory. However, when you factor in a few specifics, the task becomes less…

Getting an engine to idle with perfect clockwork precision is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Try as I might, though, I couldn’t achieve this with my Volga M21. I fettled the valve clearances, idle mixture, ignition system and fuel system with pedantic particularity, but it still ran a little arhythmically and hunted slightly. When I stripped the carburettor, I discovered that I could see light around one of the throttle butterfly pivots. The hole in the body was impressively eroded – and it had clearly been slurping in a significant amount of fresh air. Replacing the (handily detachable) lower section of the body led to the steady idle of my dreams.…

DIFFICULTY RATING TIME MONEY You will need Basic tool kit, rivet gun, hole punch, scissors, awl, sharp knife, drill and small bits, sheet metal pliers, spray impact adhesive, punch kit to suit your fasteners. Check fasteners Make sure the screws that secure the frame to the B-posts are tight. Keep it clean Keep your work areas as clean as possible. Try to avoid touching the hood material with dirty hands or dragging it across the floor. Leaking hoods are a misery. A damp interior will deteriorate faster than one that’s warm and dry – and the windows will fog up no matter how well the heater works. Damp carpets and sound insulation will become thriving ecosystems and eventually lead to rotten sills and floorpans. Plus, of course, a cold and…

Skill Shack with Practical Classics is a great way to learn restoration and maintenance skills and now it has added a new string to its bow... detailing. If you are a DIY enthusiast it is your gateway to acquiring the knowledge, kit and skills that will save you money and maybe win you a prize or two. As with all the online courses you can watch and learn anywhere, at any time, from any device. Once you pay it is yours to watch and rewatch forever. You work at your own pace and in your own way and surprising as it may sound, cleaning and detailing your classic is complex and challenging. With Skill Shack you are assured of the best possible production values, and absolute clarity. It will save…

If your club’s contact details have changed, please let us know! A   750 MOTOR CLUB 01379 741641 AC OWNERS’ CLUB 07768 363250 AMERICAN AUTO CLUB (UK) 0845 644 0345 www.americanautoclubuk.com AMBULANCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY www.southambpres.org.uk CLASSIC AMERICAN AC (GB) 020 8286 1120 PRE -’50 CLASSIC AMERICAN 01530 831170 AEC SOC yellowayreliance@hotmail.com ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA REGISTER www.giulietta.com ALFA ROMEO OC www.aroc-uk.com ALLARD OWNERS’ CLUB David Moseley, 19 Bramham Gardens, London SW5 0JE ALVIS OWNER CLUB www.alvisoc. org ALVIS REG 01509 412289, www.alvisregister.com ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY OC 0121 459 0742, www.siddeley.com, www.siddeley.net A-SERIOUS (A-SERIES ENGINED CARS) http://aserious.freeforums.org ASSN OF OLD VEHICLE CLUBS OF N IRELAND 028 9146 7886, www.aovc.co.uk ASTON MARTIN OC 01865 400400 AUDI 100 COUPÉ S CLUB GB 01702 461513 AUDI OC 07788 588449 , www.audiclub.co.uk…